When it comes to poor-performing employees -- even those who’ve been put on notice, given an improvement plan and had plenty of time to turn around -- some managers are reluctant to show them the door.

It may be because a supervisor is too lenient, is afraid of being sued or doesn’t like giving up on employees, especially if someone’s having a rough time at home or has been with the company for years.

But sometimes, workplace experts said, the reason is that managers just don’t know how.

ProBuild has announced the closings or consolidations of 12 of its locations across the country.

“We will be exiting three markets, consolidating our operations in three markets and eliminating lines of business in three markets,” said president and CEO Fred Marino in a memo sent to ProBuild employees. “We will continue to serve our customers in the majority of markets with a more efficient footprint and/or a rationalized service offering suited to each market.”

Some 30 Ace Hardware stores in the Chicago region are the latest retail outlets to offer ink cartridge refill services through a company called Ink-O-Dem.

Ink-O-Dem's ink cartridge refilling service is operating at about 4,500 Walgreens stores in the United States. In and around Chicago, the service is operating in retailers including two Micro Center stores in Chicago and Westmont, Fry's Electronics in Downers Grove, and hundreds of Walgreens, the company said.